Latest news with #Duke
Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
IND vs ENG: ‘If we think some changes need to be made or tightened up, we will': Dukes ball owner on Dukes ball being reviewed
While the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has seen its ups and downs with India now trailing the series 1-2 against England, the sees had also seen the regular change of Dukes balls, the balls used for the five Test match series in England. In the three Tests so far, the ball has been changed well before the stipulated 80 overs with England's first innings at Lord's seeing five ball changes due to going out of shape with one ball being switched after only 10.2 overs on the second day of the Test. In a latest development as reported by BCC, England and Wales Cricket Board will collect as many used Duke balls as possible and return them to the ball manufacturer by the end of this week to review the cause behind the issue. It was confirmed by Dilip Jajodia, owner of British Cricket Balls Ltd, the manufacturer of Duke balls, to the BBC and the owner also shared that everything will be reviewed in the manufacturing process. 'We will take it away, inspect and then start talking to the tanner, talking about all of the raw materials – everything. Everything we do will be reviewed and then if we think some changes need to be made or tightened up, we will,' Jajodia told BBC Sport. With India using the SG Balls and Australia using the Kookaburra balls, England has seen the usage of Dukes ball, which have benefited in production since 1760. Recent years have seen the Dukes ball going soft prematurely before the 80-over mark in Test cricket with the most recent incidents coming during the Lord's Test. After England won the toss and decided to bat first, the first innings saw the ball being changed five times with one ball being changed after 10.2 overs. It also saw an agitated Indian skipper Shubman Gill arguing with the on-field umpires and later some of the former cricket players too shared their views on the regular ball change slowing the game. Former England bowler Stuart Broad had called out the problem with the Dukes ball. 'The cricket ball should be like a fine wicketkeeper – barely noticed. We are having to talk about the ball too much because it is such an issue and is being changed virtually every innings. Unacceptable. It has been like this for five years now. Dukes have a problem. They need to fix it.' Broad had posted on X. Jajodia, who had bought British Cricket Balls Ltd from Grey-Nicolls in 1987, talked about the challenges being faced in manufacturing the Dukes ball. One is the raw materials which are natural and then have to be moulded and put together by a human being. Obviously the major aspect of a cricket ball is the leather that holds the whole thing together, and if the fibres that form the animal skin have got some sort of weakness or inherent problem that's something we can only find if it fails by further inspection and investigation. Covid did have a very serious effect on all sorts of businesses. In the whole process of tanning leather I would expect changes in personnel, whether either they passed away or decided that it was all too difficult. There is literally almost one tanner left that does cricket ball leather so there's not a choice. You have to work with the tannery to make sure that they produce what you want and by and large they do,' said the owner. Post the Lord's Test, former England skipper Joe Root also had shown his discontent over constant ball changes and blamed the issue for slowing the game. 'I personally think that if you want to keep getting the ball changed then each team gets three challenges every 80 overs and that's it. But the rings have to be the right size, not too big. That would be a nice way of compromising and saying it is not all on the manufacturer. Sometimes these things happen, but you cannot just keep asking and wasting time and slowing the game down at the same time,'Root had told Widen. With ECB now keen on getting to the cause of the issue and pushing for the resolvement of the ball going soft prematurely, Jajodia also talked about the need to be patient while the issues are found with the consultations with the ECB 'The unique nature of cricket is that you can't test that ball before it goes into play so therefore, if it fails, it fails in use and at the very highest level it's in the glare of publicity. All we can do to check everything as thoroughly as we can during the whole process of making the ball. At the end of the day, we've had three Test matches, they've all been good games. They've been interesting games. We should be very cautious and not be looking for drastic and dramatic changes. This is a product that's been going since 1760. There is no snap answer, all you can do is to go through the routine of everything that you do and try and identify,' said Jajodia.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Cooper Flagg's NBA soft launch showed the spotlight fits just fine
'I would say that might be one of the worst games of my life,' Cooper Flagg told reporters last Thursday night. 'But we got the win, so that's what really matters to me.' It was a telling statement from the 18-year-old basketball phenom after his first Las Vegas Summer League game. The No 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft – taken by the Dallas Mavericks after a one-and-done college career at Duke – didn't have nearly as disastrous a debut as he made out. Though he struggled to shoot the ball, Flagg still managed to flash his playmaking and defensive range. Clearly hyperaware to the moment and the hype surrounding his technical NBA debut, he looked determined to put on a show: aggressively hunting his shot and seeking out highlight-reel dunks at every opportunity. He bounced back with 31 points in his second (and ultimately final) Summer League appearance on Saturday. But it was the second-half of his comment after Thursday night's game that encapsulates why Flagg is one of the most hyped teenage prospects in decades: the kid is a winner. The buzz around Flagg began in his native Maine, where he became the first freshman to win the state's Gatorade Player of the Year award. He transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida after his first year of high school in search of stiffer competition, and the accolades continued to accumulate: McDonald's All American, Gatorade National Player of the Year, even USA Basketball's Male Athlete of the Year, the youngest to earn the honor since the award's inception in 1980. Long compared to Kevin Garnett and Jayson Tatum for his two-way skillset and relentless work ethic, Flagg reclassified to enter college a year early – and did the same a second time to reach the NBA sooner. With every challenge cleared, he's sought the next one with even greater urgency. In a 2024 feature on Flagg for the Ringer, J Kyle Mann described the 6ft 9in, 205lb Swiss army knife as 'running toward the grind', a sentiment longtime Mavericks beat writer Tim Cato echoes in Vegas this week when I ask for his assessment of the teenager. 'What really stands out to me about Cooper is he has always ascended,' Cato says. 'He loves to cite a quote from his mom, 'If you're the best player in the gym, you need to find a new gym.' And I just think that shows up in every aspect of his career.' That dogged commitment to improvement has made Flagg both more polished and more reserved than many of his peers. The Tatum comparisons, one could argue, are as apt behind the microphone as they are on the court. His answers can feel a little too polished, the jagged edges sanded down. He lacks the off-the-cuff charisma of an Anthony Edwards or the unfiltered snarl of a Garnett. There's little brashness, no 'face of the league' bravado – just focus. When I asked him after his monster second Vegas appearance, where he punctuated what felt like every five minutes of play with a poster dunk and looked every part the budding superstar, what he dreams about when he lets his imagination run wild over the potential of his NBA career, he had an aw-shucks answer seemingly in the can. 'I'm not getting too far ahead of myself. I haven't really thought about that too much,' he said. 'I'm kind of just focused on each individual day and just trying to get better. I know I have a really long way to go, and a lot to improve on.' 'That focus is what stands out most about Cooper,' says Cato. 'Sometimes even to his detriment. When he says stuff like 'I'm not really into music,' he just seems like a guy solely consumed with basketball and challenging himself to reach new heights.' Flagg could do a lot worse than ending up a rough equivalent of Tatum, of course: an arguable top-five player who is a year removed from an NBA championship. He would probably be quite pleased with that trajectory (and, it's worth noting, the New Englander grew up a Celtics fan). But some insiders see an even loftier ceiling. One NBA executive told me Flagg was 'the most skilled and hardest-working prospect in either of his Summer League games', adding: 'He has a pretty strong case as the most complete 18-year-old player since LeBron James.' What impressed most in Flagg's debut wasn't any single element. It was the totality: the aggression, the poise, the basketball IQ, the defense, the size, the athleticism. Flagg is poised to make his formal regular-season debut in October as a ready-made, plug-and-play contributor with superstar upside. Against all odds, a Mavericks organization just months removed from the Luka Dončić saga appears, indeed, to have hit the lottery.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Duke commit Dame Sarr named to Italy's training camp roster for 2025 EuroBasket
Duke five-star commit Dame Sarr is among the 18 players selected to the Italian national team's preliminary roster for the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket Championship. Sarr, born in Oderzo, debuted with the senior team in the 2025 EuroBasket qualifiers in February, logging three appearances. He has also represented Italy at the junior level three times, most recently at the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket. The 19-year-old will be joined in training camp by Donte DiVincenzo, Simone Fontecchio, Danilo Gallinari, Nicolò Melli and Saliou Niang, among others. The group is expected to begin practicing on July 23 before the start of the tournament on Aug. 27. Sarr committed to Duke on May 22 over other programs such as Illinois, Kansas and Oregon. He split time over the past three years with Barcelona's first and second teams, becoming the second-youngest player to log minutes with the senior team in January 2024 (16). The 6-foot-8 guard represented Italy on Team World at the Nike Hoop Summit in April, recording 17 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes in a loss against Team USA in Portland, Oregon. He was the second-leading scorer on the team, trailing only Baylor commit Tounde Yessoufou. Sarr will now spend time with the Italian national team before joining the Blue Devils next season. He doesn't project to make the final roster, but the opportunity to train alongside several notable veteran players should prove to be a valuable experience for him.
India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
ENG vs IND: Manufacturer to review Dukes ball after rising quality concerns
The manufacturer of the Duke's ball has confirmed that they will be conducting a thorough review of the match balls used during the first three Tests between England and India. The announcement follows widespread criticism over the ball's quality, with concerns raised about its inability to retain hardness and aid the bowlers across long Test captain, Shubman Gill, voiced his frustration after the Edgbaston Test, suggesting that the Dukes ball had gone soft far too quickly, tilting the contest in favour of the batters. His comments echoed what several players and pundits had noted throughout the series — the ball simply wasn't doing what it traditionally does in English England fast bowler Stuart Broad also joined in, expressing concern about the quality drop in a product that has historically been known for maintaining shape and providing sustained movement. Broad called for immediate corrective steps, saying the integrity of the contest was being affected. Responding to the criticism, Dilip Jajodia, owner of British Cricket Balls Ltd — the company responsible for manufacturing Dukes — told BBC Sport that the company would leave no stone unturned in its investigation. He said that every element, from the leather to the tanning process and other raw materials, would be looked into.'We will take it away, inspect and then start talking to the tanner, talking about all of the raw materials — everything. Everything we do will be reviewed, and then if we think some changes need to be made or tightened up, we will,' said choice of ball in Test cricket usually lies with the host nation. India uses the SG ball, Australia uses the Kookaburra, while England prefers the Dukes, which is renowned for offering prolonged movement in seam-friendly conditions. However, in this series, that defining trait seemed to be has been speculation around whether the changes in the ball are intentional to suit a more batting-friendly approach or if it's purely a manufacturing lapse. Regardless, the debate has gained traction as teams and experts seek the ball-related concerns, all three Tests have produced results, keeping the series finely balanced. Whether any adjustments will be made in time for the fourth Test remains unclear, but the scrutiny around the Dukes ball is unlikely to go away anytime soon.- EndsMust Watch
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cooper Flagg's NBA soft launch showed the spotlight fits just fine
'I would say that might be one of the worst games of my life,' Cooper Flagg told reporters last Thursday night. 'But we got the win, so that's what really matters to me.' It was a telling statement from the 18-year-old basketball phenom after his first Las Vegas Summer League game. The No 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft – taken by the Dallas Mavericks after a one-and-done college career at Duke – didn't have nearly as disastrous a debut as he made out. Though he struggled to shoot the ball, Flagg still managed to flash his playmaking and defensive range. Clearly hyperaware to the moment and the hype surrounding his technical NBA debut, he looked determined to put on a show: aggressively hunting his shot and seeking out highlight-reel dunks at every opportunity. Related: Cooper Flagg: the 17-year-old 'cold-ass white boy' breaking the basketball discourse He bounced back with 31 points in his second (and ultimately final) Summer League appearance on Saturday. But it was the second-half of his comment after Thursday night's game that encapsulates why Flagg is one of the most hyped teenage prospects in decades: the kid is a winner. The buzz around Flagg began in his native Maine, where he became the first freshman to win the state's Gatorade Player of the Year award. He transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida after his first year of high school in search of stiffer competition, and the accolades continued to accumulate: McDonald's All American, Gatorade National Player of the Year, even USA Basketball's Male Athlete of the Year, the youngest to earn the honor since the award's inception in 1980. Long compared to Kevin Garnett and Jayson Tatum for his two-way skillset and relentless work ethic, Flagg reclassified to enter college a year early – and did the same a second time to reach the NBA sooner. With every challenge cleared, he's sought the next one with even greater urgency. In a 2024 feature on Flagg for the Ringer, J Kyle Mann described the 6ft 9in, 205lb Swiss army knife as 'running toward the grind', a sentiment longtime Mavericks beat writer Tim Cato echoes in Vegas this week when I ask for his assessment of the teenager. 'What really stands out to me about Cooper is he has always ascended,' Cato says. 'He loves to cite a quote from his mom, 'If you're the best player in the gym, you need to find a new gym.' And I just think that shows up in every aspect of his career.' That dogged commitment to improvement has made Flagg both more polished and more reserved than many of his peers. The Tatum comparisons, one could argue, are as apt behind the microphone as they are on the court. His answers can feel a little too polished, the jagged edges sanded down. He lacks the off-the-cuff charisma of an Anthony Edwards or the unfiltered snarl of a Garnett. There's little brashness, no 'face of the league' bravado – just focus. When I asked him after his monster second Vegas appearance, where he punctuated what felt like every five minutes of play with a poster dunk and looked every part the budding superstar, what he dreams about when he lets his imagination run wild over the potential of his NBA career, he had an aw-shucks answer seemingly in the can. 'I'm not getting too far ahead of myself. I haven't really thought about that too much,' he said. 'I'm kind of just focused on each individual day and just trying to get better. I know I have a really long way to go, and a lot to improve on.' Related: Cooper Flagg will go No 1 in the NBA draft. He also broke the Duke supervillain stereotype 'That focus is what stands out most about Cooper,' says Cato. 'Sometimes even to his detriment. When he says stuff like 'I'm not really into music,' he just seems like a guy solely consumed with basketball and challenging himself to reach new heights.' Flagg could do a lot worse than ending up a rough equivalent of Tatum, of course: an arguable top-five player who is a year removed from an NBA championship. He would probably be quite pleased with that trajectory (and, it's worth noting, the New Englander grew up a Celtics fan). But some insiders see an even loftier ceiling. One NBA executive told me Flagg was 'the most skilled and hardest-working prospect in either of his Summer League games', adding: 'He has a pretty strong case as the most complete 18-year-old player since LeBron James.' What impressed most in Flagg's debut wasn't any single element. It was the totality: the aggression, the poise, the basketball IQ, the defense, the size, the athleticism. Flagg is poised to make his formal regular-season debut in October as a ready-made, plug-and-play contributor with superstar upside. Against all odds, a Mavericks organization just months removed from the Luka Dončić saga appears, indeed, to have hit the lottery.
